140 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS (.Jan. 27,

The bill was then read a second time and ordered to be en-
grossed for a third reading.

W. Hollingsworth Whyte, Esq., appeared and delivered
the following communication from his Excellency the Gov-
ernor.

Which was read.

And on motion of Mr. Gill, ordered to be entered on the
Journal.

ANNAPOLIS, January 27th, 1874.
Hon. JOHN LEE CARROLL,

President of the Senate, and

Hon. JESSE K. HINES,

Speaker of the House of Delegates.

GENTLEMEN:—I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt,
at your hands, of an official notification, that on Tuesday last,
20th inst., I was duly elected, by the General Assembly, a
Senator in the Congress of the United States, to represent the
State of Maryland for six years from the 4th of March,
1875. No citizen of Maryland could fail to estimate most
highly the tender of this important trust ; and I beg you to
believe, it comes to me freighted with double honor, bearing
with it, as it does, the assurance that the feeble service I have
rendered my native State, as its Chief Magistrate, has met
the approval of the representatives of its people.

Recognizing the right of my fellow citizens to transfer my
labors to another field of duty, and gratified beyond expres-
sion at their partiality, I accept the post of Senator.

A child of Maryland, I trust I shall never lose sight of her
honor, nor fail to seize every opportunity to advance her in-
terests ; while, as her Eepresentative, I shall hold true alle-
giance to the Constitution of the United States, and be faith-
ful to the Federal compact, lending my best energies to
promote the prosperity and happiness of all sections of our
common country. In accepting the distinguished position
now conferred upon me, I feel it to be my duty, at once, to
resign the office, to which I was called two years ago, by a
generous and confiding constituency, in order that the Gen-
eral Assembly may, in conformity with the terms of the Con-
stitution, elect my successor.

I have, therefore, this day, filed in the office of the Secre-
tary of State, my formal resignation of the office of Governor,
to take effect at twelve o'clock, Meridian, on Wednesday,
the 4th day of March, 1874.

In separating from my official associates, and from the